Review Huawei Nova Y9a - Doing what others can't

[rubber_otter]

We were recently invited to a Huawei launch event with no idea of what to expect. To my surprise, they were launching a new phone, the Nova Y9a.

With no idea what to expect, I wondered through the lobby, grabbed a drink, and made my way directly to the back of the hall where devices were on display, even before the event had started. I like having some hands-on time with a device before having to sit through a presentation.

While browsing through all the products that were on display, I came across a device that I had not seen yet. I picked it up, and to my surprise, it was quite light, yet felt sturdy. There was no notch, or hole punch for the front facing camera. It had a headphone jack. What was this? I quickly flip into the settings, and, well, this is the phone that this entire launch event is about. The Huawei Nova Y9a.



Huawei have come a long way since launching it’s mobile phone business in 2004. They have, in that time, listened to their users. And this week, while using the Y9a as a daily driver, I had come to realize, this company knows what they are doing. Even as a power user, this budget device brings excellent build quality, a great screen, a quad camera setup on the back, and last but not least, a quirky pop-up front facing camera.



With a 6.63" FullView display (92% screen to body ratio), it is a treat when, well, doing pretty much anything. Consuming content, playing games, you name it. There isn’t this nasty looking notch or hole punch in your view, which is great.



The 4200mAh battery makes for many hours of uninterrupted usage. No more need to have an additional powerbank handy. The Y9a will easily last you an entire day, 2 days of you are not a heavy user. And pair that with the 40W SuperCharge power adapter (that is included) a quick 5 minute charge will give you close to an hour of usage.



The MediaTek Helio G80 SoC, while not top in class, still delivers. The Octa-core processor in the Y9a can more than keep up with all the devices in this price range. And gaming on the Mali-G52 MC2 GPU is also great.



The quad camera setup leaves nothing to be desired. Rear Camera:

64 MP (f/1.8 aperture) + 8 MP (120° Ultra-Wide Angle Lens, f/2.4 aperture) + 2 MP (Depth Lens, f/2.4 aperture) + 2 MP (Macro Lens, f/2.4 aperture)

These sample images below will speak for themselves.

https://imgur.com/a/7tVBVLL

Final Thoughts

While I am a self-proclaimed power user, and a lover of flagships, I can appreciate what Huawei have done here. Packing all these features into a device that costs only R6’499, it is hard to see how one can not at least shortlist the Nova Y9a while smartphone shopping.

A great buy in my books. Well done, once again, Huawei. Well done.

 

[Qui_Illustrati]

Absolutely not a great buy despite the decent hardware and features.
With no GMS it is bound to be a horrific experience even with workarounds that are available.
No surprise the price is low in context - still a price too high in my opinion considering a 'power' user will want to throw it against a wall on a daily basis. I guess for users that just want a basic experience and decent picture quality it'd be fine.

 

[rubber_otter]

Absolutely not a great buy despite the decent hardware and features.
With no GMS it is bound to be a horrific experience even with workarounds that are available.
No surprise the price is low in context - still a price too high in my opinion considering a 'power' user will want to throw it against a wall on a daily basis. I guess for users that just want a basic experience and decent picture quality it'd be fine.

I think it might be time to stop looking at Huawei phones "with no GMS"

Honestly speaking, of late thats like saying "I'm not going to buy an iPhone because it doesn't have the Google Play Store."

The AppGallery, Petal Search and Petal Maps is more than capable of everything any user, or power user needs. It will only be a matter of convincing oneself to de-googling your life, and getting out of the Google/Apple Walled Garden.

 

[Qui_Illustrati]

I think it might be time to stop looking at Huawei phones "with no GMS"

Honestly speaking, of late thats like saying "I'm not going to buy an iPhone because it doesn't have the Google Play Store."

The AppGallery, Petal Search and Petal Maps is more than capable of everything any user, or power user needs. It will only be a matter of convincing oneself to de-googling your life, and getting out of the Google/Apple Walled Garden.

Not really. Take simple apps like Uber, Uber Eats, Mr.Delivery and a laundry list of others that DEPEND on Google Maps for Location.
Those apps can be sideloaded or installed via APK from a plethora of sources. Pointless though. Because they won't work at all or effectively without GMS.

No. It's not at all like saying "I'm not going to buy an iPhone because it doesn't have the Google Play Store." That comparison doesn't hold water.

A very utopic but unfeasible view of de-googling. Only achievable if we're all on board. Right now only Huawei is on board. App developers develop for the majority sadly.
Strangely, I like Petal Maps. More than Google Maps. Doesn't help me though when Uber Eats goes tits up when trying to launch.

Stay far away from Huawei till they get their shite resolved is all I can recommend. Why buy something that is crippled out the box. Especially in the current expanse of offerings out there that isn't.

 

[moedeez]

"I'm not going to buy an iPhone because it doesn't have the Google Play Store."

I respectfully disagree.
There is no native Gmail app on Huawei, but there is on Apple.
There is no native GDrive app on Huawei, but there is on Apple.

If Huawei had those I'd be happier using the Huawei store.
So to me it's not the same.

 

[LaidToRest]

Assisted my sister with transferring/migrating Apps, Settings and Data from her old P30 Pro to her new "better", according to the sales idiot that advised her, Nova 9.

What a fucking nightmare going from Google to this new shit. They should ban it. The Huawei store is a joke, trying to sell their own solutions around every corner (reinvent the wheel much). A lot of apps downloaded from the store don't even work, e.g. Checkers Sixty app just crashes on launch, same with most of your standard Google apps (which are available and were downloaded from the Huawei store). At first I though it was due to the migration, but after clearing cache/local data and uninstall, then reinstalling from the Huawei Store, it still crashes. All of her Google cloud synced data/settings (most android/chrome/YouTube users have a google account) obviously could not be restored as you can't add your google account on these new devices. This left me having to manually backup and restore what I could and for the rest I just said sorry, you cannot reinstall your Google Play store only apps or any apps that were purchased on in it. I installed BlueStacks on her laptop and linked her Google account so she could at least use/get some stuff on there.

Not to say the phones (hardware) sucks, but the software platform, oh boy what a nightmare (unless you start from scratch and stick with Huawei only).

 

[Nemo415]

more than capable of everything any user, or power user needs.

I had to toss my Huawei Y6p because the Microsoft authenticator app would not work without GMS...

I gave the phone to my mom, and she too finds it a bit annoying when some apps are not available.

I'll give her a Samsung A12, and keep the y6p as a torch and calculator.

 

[moedeez]

Not to say the phones (hardware) sucks, but the software platform, oh boy what a nightmare (unless you start from scratch and stick with Huawei only).

Agreed, my Nephew has a p40 lite and loves the battery life etc.

It's alot to ask me to DeGooglify my life. I have Google Photos, I have Google Drive, I have bought apps on Google Store.
It's too much for me to bother changing everything about how I do stuff right now, it's the same reason Apple People stay in the Apple ECO system. They don't always like it, they are just invested.

 

[Salee]

You can get a beastly Xiaomi or Poco phone for a similar price.

 

[ThatGuyJD]

Their sub-brand honor has GMS for the new 50 series but those are significantly more expensive than their comparable no GMS devices.
Still on an Huawei Y9 Prime (2019) myself and have been using only their phones since the P6 was a thing but need to upgrade soon and am making the switch to samsung as I'm not going to degoogle my life at this point.

 

[solz]

Okay I don't seem to have all these issues with my little old Huawei, all my goodies work as needed but then I was never invested in apple or Google,but sure was bit of a strange one getting whatsapp to work on both my old and new Huawei at the same time. Used that for some time like that until it started causing issues where msg would arrive on one phone and not the other and the next on other phone and so on. But really think it really depends on what you need I'm supper happy with my mate 40 pro, all my MD shit work no issues including my authenticator app no add on shit installed and my Google maps works fine don't use it much as I have always loved here maps from my Nokia days.

 

[solz]

Just I wouldn't buy any of their phones that don't have the kirin or atleast a snapdragon processor in. Prefer the Kirin

 

[Qui_Illustrati]

Okay I don't seem to have all these issues with my little old Huawei, all my goodies work as needed but then I was never invested in apple or Google,but sure was bit of a strange one getting whatsapp to work on both my old and new Huawei at the same time. Used that for some time like that until it started causing issues where msg would arrive on one phone and not the other and the next on other phone and so on. But really think it really depends on what you need I'm supper happy with my mate 40 pro, all my MD shit work no issues including my authenticator app no add on shit installed and my Google maps works fine don't use it much as I have always loved here maps from my Nokia days.

You running EMUI 11 or 12?
GMS works on EMUI 10 on the P40 range but that would need a firmware downgrade.
I can't fathom how you'd be able to get GMS working natively on the P40 without either downgrading to EMUI10 or using something like GSpace if you're on EMUI 11 and above.

 

[Miz3r]

I have had a P40 Pro for almost 2 years

And honestly, I'm not in the slightest bothered by the fact i no longer have access to the play store, there are apps mentioned above that for me i wont ever use, yes the convenience of these apps i am sure to the person will be hugely beneficial, and a device that is unable to use said apps, well that would be a bad idea.

But saying the brand is a no go, i disagree, you are buying the phone for what you get, and you are quite aware there is no google services, and for some people ( like me ) thats just fine as i got the phone for the features, great battery life, amazing camera and just an overall easy to use and impressive experience, which i thoroughly looked at before making my decision, and the competition well their seemed like none at the time.

The apps like FNB, and petal search, petal maps, i use daily, work arounds for gmail i have in place and everything just works

Overall i will be sticking with Huawei

Each to their own as they say

 

[solz]

You running EMUI 11 or 12?
GMS works on EMUI 10 on the P40 range but that would need a firmware downgrade.
I can't fathom how you'd be able to get GMS working natively on the P40 without either downgrading to EMUI10 or using something like GSpace if you're on EMUI 11 and above.

some of the p40's came with 10, but as far as I could gather the mate 40 pro started with 11 and there was no downgrade option. I'm still on 11 waiting for 12

** Edit
Gspace is just balls up crap, tested it but doesn't do what they show, so' its like having two phones on one.
I love my VM's but not on my phone...

 

[solz]

some of the p40's came with 10, but as far as I could gather the mate 40 pro started with 11 and there was no downgrade option. I'm still on 11 waiting for 12

I have had a P40 Pro for almost 2 years

And honestly, I'm not in the slightest bothered by the fact i no longer have access to the play store, there are apps mentioned above that for me i wont ever use, yes the convenience of these apps i am sure to the person will be hugely beneficial, and a device that is unable to use said apps, well that would be a bad idea.

But saying the brand is a no go, i disagree, you are buying the phone for what you get, and you are quite aware there is no google services, and for some people ( like me ) thats just fine as i got the phone for the features, great battery life, amazing camera and just an overall easy to use and impressive experience, which i thoroughly looked at before making my decision, and the competition well their seemed like none at the time.

The apps like FNB, and petal search, petal maps, i use daily, work arounds for gmail i have in place and everything just works

Overall i will be sticking with Huawei

Each to their own as they say

definitely.
I don't have Gmail that I use, all MS goodies and mails working 100%.
my sip phone works, banking app and all my policy apps work, think one of them now and then will have this pop up to say it wont work without google but still works 100%

 

[goldfritter]

I have had a P40 Pro for almost 2 years

And honestly, I'm not in the slightest bothered by the fact i no longer have access to the play store, there are apps mentioned above that for me i wont ever use, yes the convenience of these apps i am sure to the person will be hugely beneficial, and a device that is unable to use said apps, well that would be a bad idea.

But saying the brand is a no go, i disagree, you are buying the phone for what you get, and you are quite aware there is no google services, and for some people ( like me ) thats just fine as i got the phone for the features, great battery life, amazing camera and just an overall easy to use and impressive experience, which i thoroughly looked at before making my decision, and the competition well their seemed like none at the time.

The apps like FNB, and petal search, petal maps, i use daily, work arounds for gmail i have in place and everything just works

Overall i will be sticking with Huawei

Each to their own as they say

definitely.
I don't have Gmail that I use, all MS goodies and mails working 100%.
my sip phone works, banking app and all my policy apps work, think one of them now and then will have this pop up to say it wont work without google but still works 100%

You guys don't use Uber Eats in the Year of Our Lord two thousand and twenty two? I almost cannot imagine...

 

[Miz3r]

You guys don't use Uber Eats in the Year of Our Lord two thousand and twenty two? I almost cannot imagine...

Down here in George everything is like 5mins away so no need for that app for me

Sent from my ELS-NX9 using Tapatalk

 

[solz]

You guys don't use Uber Eats in the Year of Our Lord two thousand and twenty two? I almost cannot imagine...

nope have never needed to use it, braai area is close buy and so is the fridge